ad gone, Mr. Tolman took up the book, and began to look over
it more carefully than he had done before. But his examination did not
last long.

"How anybody of common sense can take any interest in this stuff is
beyond my comprehension," said Mr. Tolman, as he closed the book and
put it on a little shelf behind the counter.

When Glascow came back, Mr. Tolman asked him to stay and warm himself.
And then, after they had talked for a short time, Mr. Tolman began to
feel hungry. He had his winter appetite, and had lunched early. So
said he to the night druggist, who had opened his "Dormstock," "How
would you like to sit here and read awhile, while I go and get my
dinner? I will light the gas, and you can be very comfortable here, if
you are not in a hurry."

P. Glascow was in no hurry at all, and was very glad to have some quiet
reading by a warm fire; and so Mr. Tolman left him, feeling perfectly
confident that a man who had been allowed by the old lady to renew a
book nine times must be perfectly trustworthy.

When Mr. Tolman returned, the two had some further conversation in the
corner by the little stove.

"It must be rather annoying," said the night druggist, "not to be able
to go out to your meals without shutting up your shop. If you like,"
said he, rather hesitatingly, "I will stop in about this time in the
afternoon, and stay here while you go to dinner. I'll be glad to do
this until you get an assistant. I can easily attend to most people
who come in, and others can wait."

Mr. Tolman jumped at this proposition. It was exactly what he wanted.

So P. Glascow came every afternoon and read "Dormstock" while Mr.
Tolman went to dinner; and before long he came at lunch-time also. It
was just as convenient as not, he said. He had finished his breakfast,
and would like to read awhile. Mr. Tolman fancied that the night
druggist's lodgings were, perhaps, not very well warmed, which idea
explained the desire to walk rather than read on a cold afternoon.
Glascow's name was entered on the free list, and he always took away
the "Dormstock" at night, because he might have a chance of looking
into it at the store, when custom began to grow slack in the latter
part of the early morning.

One afternoon there came into the shop a young lady, who brought back
two books which she had had for more than a month. She made no excuses
for keeping the books longer than the prescribed time, but simply
handed them in a